Rotary electric machine

ABSTRACT

In a rotary electric machine, an armature winding comprises three first phase-windings that form a Δ-connection winding having output ends and three second phase-windings that are respectively connected in series to the output ends to form a star-connection three-phase winding having output ends connected to a rectifier unit.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present application is based on and claims priority from thefollowing Japanese Patent Application 2001-43058, filed Feb. 20, 2001,the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a rotary electric machine of agenerator or the like to be mounted in a passenger car, a truck oranother vehicle.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Recently, as the quality of vehicles improves, vehicle ACgenerators to be mounted on engines are demanded to decrease magneticnoise during the operation thereof. On the other hand, as the electricload for safety devices or the like has been increasing, demand forincreasing the output power of the AC generator has been growing.Therefore, it is desired to provide a compact, quiet and powerfulvehicle AC generator at a low price.

[0006] In order to satisfy the above-need, various arrangements fordecreasing noises have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No.5,122,705 (or its corresponding publication JP-A-48140) discloses a pairof parallel three-phase windings, one is a Δ-connection winding and theother is a star-connection winding, in which the phase of the voltageinduced in a phase-winding is π/6 different from another. The voltageinduced in one phase-winding of one of the pair of three-phase-windingshas the same phase as voltage across two phase-windings of the other ofthe pair of three-phase windings, while the phase of current flowing ineach phase-winding is π/6 different from another, so that high frequencycomponents included in the currents, which cause magnetic noises, can becancelled or decreased by one another.

[0007] In the arrangement stated above, in order to equalize the voltageacross two phase-windings of the Δ-connection winding and the voltageacross two phase-windings of the star-connection winding with eachother, it is necessary that the number of turns of the Δ-connectionwinding is {square root}{square root over ( )}3 times as many as thenumber of turns of the star-connection winding. However it is impossibleto provide such an irrational number of turns. Therefore, in thethree-phase windings, which generate different voltage from each other,circulation current flows from one of the three-phase winding thatgenerates higher voltage to the other, output current decreases andtemperature of the generator rises, resulting in low efficiency of thegenerator.

[0008] In order to reduce the above problems, the number of turns ofboth the three-phase windings is increased to provide a ratio that isapproximate to 1:{square root}{square root over ( )}3. However, it cannot prevent the AC generator from increasing in size and temperaturerise.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,903 (or its corresponding publicationJP-A-11-155270) discloses an arrangement in which electric conductorsare bent and connected together to form an armature winding. However itis necessary for one group of phase-windings of the armature windinghaving number of turns different from another group of windings to havea different bent shape. Therefore, if the armature winding includeswindings of different turns, the structure becomes so complicated thatproduction cost may increase very much.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the foregoingproblems, and an object of the invention is to provide a compact,powerful, highly efficient rotary electric machine at a low cost even ifwindings generating different voltages are included therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] In order to solve the above stated problems, in a rotary electricmachine according to the invention includes an armature winding iscomprised of three first phase-windings that form a Δ-connection windinghaving output ends and three second phase-windings that are respectivelyconnected in series to the output ends to form a star-connectionthree-phase winding having output ends connected to a rectifier unit.

[0012] Because each phase-winding of the star-connection three-phasewinding is connected in series to the Δ-connection three-phase winding,circular current can be prevented even if the voltages induced by theplurality of three-phase windings are different from each other.Therefore, output power loss due to the circulation current can beeliminated. Therefore, a compact, powerful and highly efficient rotaryelectric machine can be provided.

[0013] Preferably, the above three-phase windings are mounted in thestator core so that the phase of current flowing in the firstphase-windings is π/6 in electric angle different from the phase ofcurrent flowing in the second phase-winding. Accordingly, high frequencycomponents that may cause magnetic noise can be cancelled by combiningthe plurality of three-phase windings.

[0014] It is also preferable that each of the plurality ofphase-windings has the same number of turns. It is possible to providethe phase-windings in the same winding process. As a result,manufacturing facilities can be simplified and work efficiency can beimproved, so that the production cost can be reduced.

[0015] It is preferable that the above armature winding is comprised ofa plurality of electric conductors welded together. With this structure,coil ends of the armature winding can be formed uniform or regular, sothat the resistance of the armature winding can be drastically reduced.In addition, bending and welding works can be simplified, resulting insimplification of the manufacturing facilities and in drasticallyreduced production cost.

[0016] It is preferable that each of the electric conductors has arectangular cross-section. With this feature, the space factor of theconductors to the slot of the stator core can be improved, therebyreducing the resistance of the armature winding. In addition, therectangular cross section makes the electric conductors stiffer, so thatvibration thereof can be effectively prevented.

[0017] It is preferable that the output ends of the Δ-connection windingare distributed at an end surface of the stator core in an angular rangethat is more than 180 degree. With this feature, wiring work at theoutput ends can be made easier, so that the productivity can beimproved.

[0018] It is preferable that lead wires that form output ends of theplurality of three-phase windings are extended in radial directions sothat they do not overlap one another. With this feature, the lead wirescan be made shorter, so that the resistance of the armature winding canbe reduced, and so that the lead wires can be prevented from vibrating.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Other objects, features and characteristics of the presentinvention as well as the functions of related parts of the presentinvention will become clear from a study of the following detaileddescription, the appended claims and the drawings. In the drawings:

[0020]FIG. 1 is a view showing an overall vehicle AC generator accordingto a first embodiment of the invention;

[0021]FIG. 2 is a wiring diagram of an armature winding;

[0022]FIG. 3 is a supplementary diagram of the armature winding;

[0023]FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram of the armature winding;

[0024]FIG. 5 is a wiring diagram of the armature winding;

[0025]FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a stator showing connections andlead wires;

[0026]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of conductor segments that form anarmature winding according to a second embodiment of the invention;

[0027]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the conductor segments shown inFIG. 7 being assembled;

[0028]FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the stator accordingto the second embodiment;

[0029]FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a portion of the statoraccording to the second embodiment;

[0030]FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a portion of the statoraccording to the second embodiment; and

[0031]FIG. 12 is a wiring diagram of a variation of the stator accordingto the embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] A vehicle AC generator according to a first embodiment of theinvention is described with reference to FIGS. 1-6. The vehicle ACgenerator 1 is comprised of a stator 2, a rotor 3, a frame 4, arectifier unit 5, and so on.

[0033] The stator 2 is comprised of a stator core 22, an armaturewinding 23 mounted in the stator core 22, insulators 24 for insulatingthe armature winding 23 from the stator core 22. The stator core 22 is aring-shaped laminate of a plurality of thin steel plate, which has aplurality (e.g. 72) of slots at the radially inside surface thereof. Thearmature winding 23 is comprised of a pair of three-phase windings 23Aand 23B, whose phases are π/6 different from each other. The pair ofthree-phase windings 23A and 23B is distributed into the 72 slots.

[0034] The rotor 3 has a shaft 6 that rotates together and is comprisedof a pole core 7, a field coil 8, slip rings 9 and 10, a mixed flow typecooling fans 11 and a centrifugal cooling fan 12. The shaft 6 is linkedwith a pulley 20 to be driven by an engine (not shown) mounted in avehicle. The rotor 6 has twelve poles, and six slots of the stator core22 correspond to each pole.

[0035] The frame 4 accommodates the stator 2 and the rotor 3 therein sothat the rotor 3 can rotates about the shaft 6. The stator 2 is fixedlydisposed around the pole core 7 of the rotor 3 at a certain gap. Theframe 4 is comprised of a front frame 4A and a rear frame 4B, which arefastened to each other by a plurality of fastening bolts 43, therebysupporting the stator 2 and so on. The rectifier unit 5 is connected tolead wires that extend from the armature winding 23 to convertfull-wave-three-phase AC voltage of the armature winding into DCvoltage.

[0036] The above-described vehicle AC generator 1 rotates in apredetermined direction when torque is transmitted from an engine to thepulley 20 via a belt or the like. If exciting voltage is applied to thefield coil 8 of the rotor 3 while rotating, the claw poles aremagnetically excited so that three-phase AC voltage can be generated bythe armature winding 23 and DC voltage can be provided at the outputterminal of the rectifier unit 5.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 2, the armature winding 23 is comprised of aΔ-connection three-phase winding 23A and a star-connection three-phasewinding 23B. The Δ-connection three-phase winding 23A is comprised of Uphase-winding, V phase-winding and W phase-winding that are fourslot-pitches (2π/3 radian in electric angle) shifted from each other andconnected with each other to form a delta-connection three-phasewinding. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the u phase-winding is disposed inslots #9, #15, #21 . . . , the V phase-winding is disposed in slots #5,#11, #17 . . . that are respectively four slot-pitches shifted from theslots of the U phase-winding, and w phase-winding is disposed in slots#1, #7, #13 . . . , that are respectively four slot-pitches shifted fromthe slots of the V phase-winding.

[0038] The star-connection three-phase winding 23B is comprised of Xphase-winding, Y phase-winding and z phase-winding. As shown in FIGS. 4and 5, the X phase-winding is disposed in slots #10, #16, #22 . . . ,the Y phase-winding is disposed in slots #6, #12, #18 . . . that arerespectively four slot-pitches shifted from the slots of the Xphase-winding, and Z phase-winding is disposed in slots #2, #8, #14 . .. , that are respectively four slot-pitches shifted from the slots ofthe Y phase-winding.

[0039] Thus, the pair of three-phase windings 23A and 23B is disposed inthe slots that are a slot-pitch (π/6 in electric angle) shifted fromeach other. The X phase-winding, Y phase-winding and Z phase-winding ofthe star-connection three-phase winding 23B are respectivelyseries-connected, at one ends thereof, to output connection ends 26A,26B and 26C of the Δ-connection three-phase winding 23A. The other endsof the X phase-winding, Y phase-winding and Z phase-winding arerespectively connected to the rectifier unit 5. As a result,star-connection three-phase winding 23B are series connected to theΔ-connection three-phase winding 23A, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0040] In this embodiment, the number of turns of each of the Uphase-winding, v phase-winding and w phase-winding of the three-phasewinding 23A is 6, and the number of turns of each of the Xphase-winding, Y phase-winding and Z phase-winding of the three-phasewinding 23B is 3 that is the integer closest to the quotient of 6divided by {square root}{square root over ( )}3.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 6, the three connection ends 26A, 26B and 26C ofthe three-phase winding 23A are distributed over an area wider than 180°in angle so that lead wires 27 that which form the connection ends 26A,26B and 26C may not overlap each other in the radial direction. Thus, itis easy to connect the pair of three-phase windings 23A and 23B and toshape the lead wires 27. In addition, the lead wires 27 can be made asshort as possible.

[0042] In this embodiment, the voltage induced by the star-connectionthree-phase winding 23B is 0.86 times as high as the voltage induced bythe Δ-connection three-phase winding 23A. Because the pair ofthree-phase windings 23A and 23B is connected in series, no circulationcurrent flows.

[0043] It is not necessary to arrange the numbers of turns of the pairof three-phase windings in order to equalize the induced voltages of thetwo phase-windings to each other. In other words, it is possible to setthe number of turns of the pair of three-phase windings as desired.

[0044] Because the star-connection three-phase winding 23B is π/6shifted from the Δ-connection three-phase winding 23A, the counterelectromotive forces are canceled by each other, thereby reducingmagnetic noises. Because the Δ-connection three-phase winding 23A andthe star-connection three-phase winding 23B are connected in series,only the output ends of the three-phase winding 23B can be connected tothe rectifier unit 5 to provide the output current of the vehicle ACgenerator 1. Therefore, only one rectifier unit 5 is necessary.

[0045] The three connection ends 26A, 26B and 26C are distributed overthe area that is wider than 180° so that the lead wires may not overlapeach other in the radial direction. Therefore, coil ends of the armaturewinding 23 can be made compact. In addition, the lead wires 27 can bemade very short, so that the reliability of the vehicle AC generator 1can be improved.

[0046] A vehicle AC generator 1 according to a second embodiment of theinvention is described with reference to FIGS. 7-11. Because the vehicleAC generator according to the second embodiment is different from thevehicle AC generator according to the first embodiment in that anarmature winding is comprised of a plurality of U-shaped conductorsegments having a rectangular cross section. The following is thedescription about a stator that is different from the stator of the ACgenerator according to the first embodiment.

[0047] The armature winding 23 mounted in the slots 25 of the statorcore 22 is formed of a plurality of conductor members. An even number(e.g. four) of the conductor members is disposed each slot 25. Fourconductor members in one of the slots 25 are aligned in the radialdirection and respectively disposed in an innermost layer, an innermiddle layer, an outer middle layer and an outermost layer.

[0048] A conductor member 231 a disposed at the innermost layer of oneof the slots 25 is paired with a conductor member 231 b disposed in theoutermost layer of another slot 25 that is a pole-pitch (sixslot-pitches) clockwise spaced apart therefrom. In the same manner, aconductor member 232 a disposed in the inner middle layer of the sameone of the slots 25 is paired with a conductor member 232 b disposed inthe outer middle layer of the slot 25 that is a pole-pitch clockwisespaced apart therefrom. These paired conductor members are connected bycontinuous turn portions 231 c and 232 c at an end of the stator core22.

[0049] Accordingly, one end of the stator core 22, as shown in FIG. 11,the continuous wire that connects the conductor member 231 b disposed inthe outermost layer and the conductor member 231 a disposed in theinnermost layer via turn portion 231 c encloses the continuous wire thatconnects the conductor member 232 b disposed in the outer middle layerand the conductor member 232 a disposed in the inner middle layer viaturn portion 232 c. Therefore, the turn portion 232 c as a connectingportion of the paired conductor members is enclosed by the turn portion231 c as a connecting portion of the paired conductor members disposedin the same slots, at one end of the stator core 22. Thus, the conductormember 232 b disposed in the outer middle layer and the conductor member232 a disposed in the inner middle layer are connected to form a middlelayer coil end, and the conductor member 231 a disposed in the outermostlayer and the conductor member 231 b disposed in the innermost layer areconnected to form an outer layer coil end.

[0050] On the other hand, the conductor member 232 a disposed in theinner middle layer of one of the slots 25 is paired with a conductormember 231 a′ disposed in the innermost layer of another slot 25 that isa pole pitch clockwise spaced apart therefrom. In the same manner, aconductor member 231 b′ disposed in the outermost layer of one of theslots 25 is paired with a conductor member 232 b disposed in the outermiddle layer of another slot 25 that is a pole pitch clockwise spacedapart therefrom. These conductor members are connected to each other atthe other axial end of the stator core 22.

[0051] Therefore, at the other axial en d of the stator core 22, asshown in FIG. 10, an outside connection portion 233 b connecting theconductor member 231 b′ disposed at the outermost layer and theconductor member 232 b disposed at the outer middle layer and an insideconnection portion 233 a connecting the conductor member 231 a′ disposedat the innermost layer and the conductor member 232 a disposed at theinner middle layer are disposed to be shifted from each other in boththe radial direction and the circumferential direction. The connectionof the outermost conductor member 231 b′ and the outer middle conductormember 232 b and the connection of the innermost conductor member 231 aand the inner middle conductor member 232 a form two neighboringcoil-end-layers that are disposed at two coaxial circumferences.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 7, the conductor member 231 a disposed in theinnermost layer and the conductor member 231 b disposed in the outermostlayer form a U-shaped large conductor segment 231. The conductor member232 a disposed in the inner middle layer and the conductor member 232 bdisposed in the outer middle layer form a U-shaped small conductorsegment 232. A basic conductor segment unit 230 is comprised of thelarge segment 231 and the small segment 232. Each of the large and smallsegments 231 and 232 is disposed in a slot and has portions that extendin the axial direction and inclined portions 231 f, 231 g, 232 f and 232g that bends away from the axial direction. The inclined portions formcoil ends that project from the opposite ends of the stator core 22, andcooling air passages are formed in the inclined portions when the mixedflow type cooling fan 11 and the centrifugal cooling fan 12, which arefixed to the opposite axial ends of the rotor 3, are rotated. The leadwires 27 of the armature winding 23 are also disposed in the cooling airpassages.

[0053] The above-described arrangement is applied to the conductorsegment units 230 disposed in all the slots 25. In the coil end groupdisposed opposite the turn portions the end portion 231 e′ of theconductor member disposed at the outermost layer and the end portion 232e of the conductor segment disposed at the outer middle layer as well asthe end portion 232 d of the conductor member disposed at the innermiddle layer and the end portion 231 d′ of the conductor member disposedat the innermost layer are welded by a welder, such as a ultrasonicwelder or an arc welder, or soldered to each other to form the outsideconnection portion 233 b and the inside connection portion 233 a forelectrical connection.

[0054] The armature winding 23 of this embodiment, which is comprised ofthe conductor segment unit 230, has the same winding structure as thefirst embodiment shown in FIGS. 2-5. In this embodiment, sixphase-windings that are π/6 in electric angle shifted from one anotherare disposed in every six of the slots 25 of the stator core 22 thatcorrespond to a pole-pitch. U phase-winding disposed in one of the slots25, V phase-winding and W phase-winding respectively disposed in otherslots that are 4 or 8 slot-pitches spaced apart from the former one ofthe slots 25 are connected to form a Δ-connection three-phase winding23A. X phase-winding, Y phase-winding and Z phase-winding arerespectively mounted into those of the slots 25 that are respectivelyone slot-pitch spaced apart from the slots for the U phase-winding, Vphase-winding and W phase-winding and respectively connected in seriesto the three connection portions of the three-phase winding 23A to forma three-phase winding 23B. Thus, the same armature winding as that ofthe first embodiment can be provided.

[0055] Because a pair of three-phase windings 23A and 23B of thearmature winding 23 is connected in series, it is not necessary toequalize the induced voltages. Therefore, the number of turns of therespective three-phase windings can be set as desired. For example, thenumber of turns of both the three-phase windings 23A and 23B can be 4,as clearly shown in FIG. 9. Therefore, it is possible to provide thepair of three-phase windings 23A and 23B that is comprised of the sameconductor segment units 230 and manufactured by the same bending andwelding processes.

[0056] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, since a plurality of U-shapedconductor segment units are welded to form the armature winding 23, thecoil ends of the armature winding 23 can be formed uniform or regular.Therefore, the conductor members can be made shorter, and the spacefactor of the conductor to the slot 25 can be improved. Accordingly, theresistance of the armature winding can be drastically reduced. As aresult, a compact, powerful and highly efficient vehicle AC generatorcan be provided.

[0057] As in the vehicle AC generator according to the first embodiment,no circulation current flows in the armature winding. Further, since apair of the three-phase windings 23A and 23B is disposed in the slots tobe π/6 radian in electric angle shifted from each other, magnetic noisecan be reduced.

[0058] As exemplified in FIG. 12, it is possible to provide a vehicle ACgenerator in which a pair of the armature windings 23 according to thefirst or the second invention is shifted by π/6 radian in electric angleshifted from each other, and respectively connected to specificrectifier units. This structure can also reduce the magnetic noisefurther.

[0059] It is also possible to provide the three-phase windings 23A and23B having the number of turns other than those described above. It ispossible to apply this invention to some other rotary electric machinefor a vehicle such as a motor to be mounted in a vehicle.

[0060] In the foregoing description of the present invention, theinvention has been disclosed with reference to specific embodimentsthereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications andchanges may be made to the specific embodiments of the present inventionwithout departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in theappended claims. Accordingly, the description of the present inventionis to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A rotary electric machine including a statorcore, an armature winding mounted in said stator core, wherein saidarmature winding comprises a plurality of three-phase windings, one ofwhich is a Δ-connection winding having output ends that are connected inseries with respective phase-winding of another three-phase winding. 2.The rotary electric machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidplurality of three-phase windings is mounted in said stator core so thatthe phase of current flowing in one phase winding is π/6 radian inelectric angle different from the phase of current flowing in anotherphase-winding.
 3. The rotary electric machine as claimed in claim 1,wherein each of said plurality of phase-windings has approximately thesame number of turns.
 4. The rotary electric machine as claimed in claim1, wherein said armature winding comprises a plurality of electricconductors welded together.
 5. The rotary electric machine as claimed inclaim 4, wherein each of said electric conductor has a rectangularcross-section.
 6. The rotary electric machine as claimed in claim 1,wherein said output ends of said Δ-connection winding are distributed atan end surface of said stator core in an angular range that is more than180 degree.
 7. The rotary electric machine as claimed in claim 6,further comprising lead wires that form output ends of said plurality ofthree-phase windings, wherein said lead wires are extended in radialdirections so that they do not overlap one another.
 8. The rotaryelectric machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rectifierunit for rectifying voltages induced in said armature winding, whereinthe other output ends of said another three-phase winding that are notconnected to said Δ-connection winding are connected to said rectifierunit.
 9. A rotary electric machine comprising: a stator including astator core and a three-phase armature winding mounted in the statorcore; a rotor having a plurality of magnetic poles; and a rectifierunit; wherein said armature winding comprises three first phase-windingsthat form a Δ-connection winding having output ends and three secondphase-windings that are respectively connected in series to said outputends to form a star-connection three-phase winding having output endsconnected to said rectifier unit.
 10. The rotary electric machine asclaimed in claim 9, wherein said first and second phase-windings aremounted in said stator core so that the phase of current flowing in saidfirst phase-windings is π/6 radian in electric angle different from thephase of current flowing in said second phase windings.
 11. The rotaryelectric machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said first andsecond phase-windings has the same number of turns.
 12. The rotaryelectric machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said first andsecond phase-windings comprises a plurality of U-shaped conductorsegments.
 13. The rotary electric machine as claimed in claim 12,wherein each of said U-shaped conductor segments has a rectangularcross-section.